Wheelbarrow chassis and body construction



J7me 1941- H. GARLINGHOUSE ,0 3

WHEELBARROW CHASSIS AND BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 15, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 1 June H941- L. H. GARLINGHOUSE 1 11 WHEELBARROW CHASSISAND BODY .CONSTRUGTION Filed May 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

NGHOUSE L. H. CARL! Patented June 24, 1%41 Leslie H. Garlinghouse, LosAngeles, Calif.

Application May 13, 19%, Serial No. 334,825

(Cl. 28ll-52) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a wheelbarrow frame and body construction.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel wheelbarrowwhich can be operated with a minimum. of effort.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novelwheelbarrow chassis.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wheelbarrow includinga chassis having a novel nose portion thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheelbarrow including achassis including a novel body.

A further object of my invention is to provide a wheelbarrow including anovel body and chassis which are so constructed and arranged that easydumping is secured when the wheelbarrow is in use.

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wheelbarrow embodying the features of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the wheelbarrow;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation;

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the dumping and wheeling positions;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a I modification;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan View of the modification;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the chassis looking rearwardly; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 looking forwardly.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have shown myinvention as embodied in a wheelbarrow which is indicated generally at lll. As shown the wheelbarrow ill includes a pair of tubular metaldownwardly and forwardly inclined side members H which have grippingportions l2 at one end and at the other end include curved nose portionsis from which upwardly extending portions I i project.

Each side member is engaged by a leg member l5 which is of generalV-shape and is inclined. The leg members are held in place by endmemrbers l6 which may be welded as at H to the side members.

The side members converge forwardly and at the curved portions l3 areconnected by a cross member l8 suitably welded in place.

The side members ll are connected by front and rear cross members It)and 2t which are suitably welded in place.

Brace members 2! (see Fig. l) are secured to the cross member 2E3 attheir upper ends and at their lower ends engage the leg members E5 tobrace the latter.

The upwardly extending portions M are connected by a transverse member22 (see Fig. 8).

Each side member is provided near the front end thereof with adownwardly directed ear 23 which is suitably welded in place. The ears23 are provided with apertures 24 which suitably support an axle 25which in turn supports a wheel 26.

The side members i l and their associated parts provide a chassis and onthis chassis I mount a body or tray 27. This tray 27 includes a bottom23 which is planar and which engages the side members H and is suitablysecured thereto. The tray includes an inclined front end portion 29which is planar and which engages the transverse member 22. The edges ofthe bottom 28 preferably form a rectangle while the sides of the front29 converge forwardly.

The tray 21 is provided with a rear end 30 joined to rear sides M by acurved portion 32. The tray also includes front sides 33 which areplanar and the tray further includes an upper rim. 34.

The nose portion i3 projects forwardly beyond the tray and the axis ofthe shaft 25 and the construction of the tray is such that the center ofgravity is low so that most of the load is placed on the wheel. Also therelation between the location of the Wheel, the dumping nose and thecenter of gravity of a struck load in the tray is such that when thehandles are raised about chest high the nose of the frame strikes theground and the center of gravity of the load is in the vertical planewhich passes through the Wheel axle. This arrangement affords an easydumping wheelbarrow.

In Fig. 5 the arrangement is shown diagrammatically wherein thewheelbarrow it assumes the dumping position along the ground line ABwith the nose l3 contacting the ground and in this position it will benoted that the center of gravity X is in the line C'D which is verticalto A-B. In wheeling position the ground line is approximately at EF andit will be noted that the center of gravity X is in the rear of the lineGI-I which is perpendicular to the wheeling ground line E-F.

In Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, I show a modification of my inventionwherein the wheelbarrow indicated generally at 58 includes side members5| having a nose portion 52, a nose cross member 53, a transverse member55 which connects upwardly extending portions 55 which are continuationsof the nose member 52. Each side member is engaged by a leg 56 which hasa wear plate 51 thereon and which includes an upwardly and forwardlyextending portion 58 disposed outside of the side member 5! and securedto the side members 5! by welding as at 59.

The portions 58 at their upper end 5!] are secured to the transversemember 55 as by welding at El. The chassis includes a front cross member62 which engages the bottom 84 of a tray or body 5. The tray bottom hasparallel side edges 66 and parallel end edges 51, The tray includes arear 68, sides 69 and front 10.

The center of gravity of the tray with a struck load therein is at apoint X which like the construction previously described is in the rearof the vertical plane passing through the rear axis when the wheelbarrowis in wheeling position. Also like the construction previously describedwhen the nose 52 touches the ground the center of gravity X is in thevertical plane which passes through the rear axle, so that ease ofhandling is secured.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have invented a novelwheelbarrow which can be economically manufactured and which is strongin construction and with which loads can be handled with a minimum oflabor effort.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

' In a wheelbarrow, a chassis including a pair of hollow, elongated,side members each having a curved nose portion at the front thereof andhaving a grip portion at the rear and an upwardly directed, rearwardlyextending, portion on each of said nose portions, the axis of each sidemember being in a single plane, a nose cross member connected to theends of said nose portions and connecting said nose portions, said sidemembers converging forwardly, a front cross member and a rear crossmember connecting said side members, each of said front and rear crossmembers comprising an angle member having one leg arranged perpendicularto the axes of the side members and having the other leg parallel to theplane intersecting the axes of said side members, the other leg havingits top surface flush with the top of the side members, a supporting legmounted on each of said side members, a wheel mounted. on said sidemembers, a tray having a planar bottom engaging the top of said sidemembers and the top of said front and rear cross members, said trayincluding a planar inclined front portion engaging said nose crossmember, said tray front portion projecting beyond said wheel, said traybeing disposed on said chassis so that with a struck load in the tray,when the Wheelbarrow is swung so that the nose portions strike theground, the center of gravity is in the vertical plane which extendstransverse of the tray and passes through the wheel axle and when thewheelbarrow is in wheeling position the center of gravity is in the rearof the vertical plane which extends transverse of the tray and passesthrough the wheel axle.

LESLIE I-I. GARLINGHOUSE.

